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Isolated probing tech for fast-switching power device testing

Keysight Technologies has developed an optically isolated differential probing family dedicated to enhancing efficiency and performance testing of fast-switching devices such as wide-bandgap GaN and SiC semiconductors. Validation of floating half-bridge and full-bridge architectures commonly used in power conversion, motor drives, and inverters requires measurement of small differential signals riding on high common-mode voltages. This measurement can be challenging due to voltage source fluctuations relative to ground, noise interference, and safety concerns.
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Protect sensitive electronics in explosive environments with new aluminum ATEX Cabinet Cooler Systems

EXAIR's ATEX Cabinet Cooler^® Systems deliver a powerful and affordable solution for keeping electrical enclosures cool in hazardous ATEX classified areas -- and they're now available in durable aluminum construction. Engineered for use in Zones 2 and 22, these coolers are UL tested, CE compliant, and meet stringent ATEX standards for purged and pressurized enclosures. With cooling capacities up to 5,600 Btu/Hr., ATEX Cabinet Coolers are ideal for preventing overheating in electrical cabinets. EXAIR offers a comprehensive lineup of systems.
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PLC handbook chock full of must-know information

Automation-Direct's Practical Guide to Program-mable Logic Controllers Handbook has been improved with tons of new need-to-know info, making it a more comprehensive guide to the world of PLCs. Besides covering the basics of PLC history, PLC hardware, and PLC software, this guide takes you deeper into the ever-changing world of PLC communication, the importance of feedback loops, cyber security, and many other areas that are a must-know for any PLC novice or seasoned automation professional.
Get this great resource today.

Haptic feedback prototyping kit from TDK

Get your customers to feel the difference your products make. TDK has released a development starter kit for fast haptics prototyping. It gives mechanical designers and engineers first impressions of the haptic feedback using PowerHap piezo actuators, shows how the mechanical integration works, and provides a reference design. Applications include automotive, displays and tablets, household appliances, vending machines, game controllers, industrial equipment, and medical devices.
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Mini ESD preset torque screwdriver

Need precision fastening with ESD protection at the smallest torque levels? Mountz has you covered. The new FG Mini ESD Preset Torque Screwdriver is built for low-torque, high-precision tasks. Its compact design makes it ideal for tight spaces and small fasteners, while delivering the same reliable control and ESD protection users have come to expect from Mountz. Two models available: FG25z (3 to 25 ozf.in, 2 to 17.7 cN-m) and FG50z (20 to 50 ozf.in, 14.1 to 35.3 cN-m).
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Laumas load cells and electronics from AutomationDirect

Automation-Direct has added Laumas precision-engineered load cells, transmitters, and accessories that deliver reliable performance in industrial weighing and force measurement applications. The FCAL series high-precision bending beam load cells are ideal for low- to mid-capacity systems. CTL series load cells are designed for both tension and compression, with excellent linearity. The CBL series low-profile compression load cells are perfect for space-limited applications. Laumas load cell transmitters are available too for precise monitoring and control. Very good pricing.
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Engineer's Toolbox: What is ground loop feedback?

Improper grounding can create problems in data logging, data acquisition, and measurement and control systems. One of the most common problems is known as ground loop feedback. Experts at CAS DataLoggers run through five ways to eliminate this problem.
Read the full article.

What is a braking resistor?

According to Automation-Direct, "Braking resistors don't actually provide braking directly -- rather, they allow a drive to stop a loaded motor faster." Why is this important? Protect your AC or DC drive system from regenerative voltage that can create an over-voltage fault on the drive -- especially with high inertial loads or rapid deceleration.
View the video.

New Digital Static Meter: Precise measurement, easy use

Static electricity isn't just a nuisance; it's a serious threat to manufacturing efficiency, product integrity, and workplace safety. Unchecked static can lead to costly downtime, product defects, material jams, and even hazardous shocks to employees. If static is interfering with your processes, EXAIR's upgraded Model 7905 Digital Static Meter offers an essential first step in identifying and eliminating the problem. With just the press of a button, this easy-to-use, handheld device pinpoints the highest voltage areas in your facility, helping you diagnose static issues before they become a problem.
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New laser cutting modulating strategy tested with Mikrotron high-speed camera

Modulating a laser beam's intensity distribution optimizes energy delivery to the process zone, resulting in better cutting speed, cut edge quality, and cut kerf geometry. Scientists in Belgium have come up with a new method that they say produces better cutting results.
Read the full article.

All-in-one embedded PLC based on Raspberry Pi 4 -- build control applications

The new PLC CPI-PS10CM4 from Contec Co. is a compact embedded programmable logic controller (PLC) that is loaded with CODESYS, the world's most widely used software PLC. This product uses Contec's original single-board computer, which is based on Raspberry Pi's latest embedded module, the Compute Module 4 (CM4). By using the wide range of peripheral devices for Raspberry Pi, such as Contec's CPI Series, you can build various control applications in a PLC language that complies with the IEC 61131-3 international standard.
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Torque sensors for fastening applications and more

Saelig Company has introduced the Sensor Technology SGR525/526 Series Torque Sensors to provide precision torque monitoring that is critical for performance and safety. The square drive design (for applications with non-cylindrical shafts) allows for seamless integration into power tools, test rigs, industrial machinery, and precision fastening applications, ensuring superior torque measurement without the need for additional adapters or modifications. The SGR525 offers torque measurement only, while the SGR526 provides torque, speed, and power measurement using a 360-pulse-per-revolution encoder. Industries include automotive, aerospace, manufacturing, and research and development.
Learn more.

Wide-angle camera optimized for larger, faster conveyor belts

Wider conveyor belts operating at higher speeds are now commonplace in modern logistics. To keep up, SVS-Vistek is offering a cost-effective alternative to multi-camera systems with its fxo901CXGE 10-GigE color camera featuring the Sony IMX901-AQR wide-aspect global shutter 16.4-megapixel CMOS sensor. Unlike standard cameras, this unit captures targets in a wide field of view while maintaining high resolutions. The 4:1 horizontal aspect ratio allows one fxo901CXGE to replace an entire multi-camera system, removing the need for image synchronization.
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Handheld thermal imager cuts diagnostic time

The FLIR TG268 is a next-generation thermal imager that provides professionals in the utility, manufacturing, electrical, automotive, and industrial sectors with a lightweight, handheld, affordable condition monitoring tool. Latest enhancements include higher temperature ranges, improved resolution, and larger data storage capacity. Go beyond the restrictions of single-spot IR thermometers to view and evaluate hot and cold spots that may signify potentially dangerous issues. Accurately measure temps from -25 to 400 C. Native thermal images improved with Super Resolution upscaling.
Learn more.

SOLIDWORKS 2025: Sheet metal design top features from an expert

Find out what's new in SOLIDWORKS 2025 when it comes to sheet metal and weldments, and learn some valuable tips and tricks along the way from TriMech. Topics covered include copying cut list properties, bend notches, tab and slot enhancements, groove beads (a new type of weld bead), performance enhancements, and more. When you're done, check out TriMech's full YouTube channel filled with educational material.
View the video.

'Expert in a suitcase' aims to cut power bills 10% in small commercial buildings

The Sensor Suitcase is licensed by two companies to make energy efficiency easier. [Credit: Andrea Starr/PNNL]

 

 

The knowledge and expertise of a seasoned energy-efficiency professional has been packed into a high-tech suitcase.

The Sensor Suitcase is a portable case that contains easy-to-use sensors and other equipment that make it possible for anyone to identify energy-saving opportunities in small commercial buildings. The automated and reusable system combines hardware and software in one package so its users can identify cost-effective measures that save small commercial buildings about 10 percent on their energy bills.

Jointly developed by two Department of Energy labs, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory and Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, the Sensor Suitcase has been licensed by two companies that plan to provide products or services based on the technology. The licensees are GreenPath Energy Solutions and Cultural Quotient.

"Most small commercial building owners believe it costs too much to make their facilities significantly more energy efficient," said scientist Michael Brambley, who led PNNL's development team. "But the Sensor Suitcase system can change that. It helps someone with minimal training collect and automatically process building data, which the system uses to generate specific recommendations to improve energy efficiency. The U.S. could reduce its national energy costs by about $5.1 billion if all small commercial buildings used this technology."

The Sensor Suitcase packs the knowledge of a seasoned energy-efficiency professional into a high-tech suitcase, which contains easy-to-use sensors and other equipment that make it possible for nearly anyone to identify energy-saving opportunities in small commercial buildings. PNNL research associate Eric Gonzalez is shown here using a tablet computer to program the Sensor Suitcase's sensors. [Credit: Andrea Starr/PNNL]

 

 

 

 

Implementing energy-efficiency measures in small commercial buildings has been notoriously difficult, said mechanical engineer Jessica Granderson, who led Berkeley Lab's development team.

"The real innovation is in the streamlining," said Granderson, who is also a deputy director of Berkeley Lab's Building Technology and Urban Systems Division. "It's kind of like the 'for dummies' version of how to identify improvements in your building. Instead of hiring a professional engineer to conduct a full energy evaluation, you could get just about anyone to do it."

The Sensor Suitcase is designed to reduce energy use in existing buildings by finding ways to improve the way they operate, a practice energy-efficiency professionals call "retro-commissioning." Large commercial buildings often have the resources needed for retro-commissioning, while smaller buildings with 50,000 sq ft or less don't. PNNL and Berkeley Lab developed the Sensor Suitcase to overcome that hurdle.

How it works
Inside the suitcase sit 16 pocket-sized sensors that can measure three things: temperature, whether lights are on or off, and how a heating and cooling system is operating. Users follow clear instructions from the Sensor Suitcase's operations software, which runs on a separate tablet, to install sensors inside a building.

About a month later, users gather the sensors and return them to the suitcase, which users then connect to a personal computer so they can transfer the collected energy data. The system's unique analytical software is used to automatically crunch the sensor data, eliminating the need to hire a professional to manually plot, inspect, and interpret data.

PNNL research associate Eric Gonzalez is shown placing sensors from the Sensor Suitcase near a thermostat and lights in an office building. [Credit: Andrea Starr/PNNL]

 

 

 

 

The final result is a report that identifies problems (such as excessive lighting), recommends low- and no-cost ways to fix problems (such as installing occupancy sensors that turn lights on only when a room is being used), and provides estimated cost savings for addressing each problem.

Improvements
The Sensor Suitcase system focuses on eight of the most common and cost-effective areas to improve energy efficiency in small commercial buildings. As a result, it can help building owners save about two-thirds of the energy that can be saved with the traditional approach to retro-commissioning, which requires the hands-on labor of several energy-efficiency professionals, who are often engineers. Conducting a traditional retro-commissioning assessment takes six months or longer, while doing the same assessment with a Sensor Suitcase takes four to six weeks and costs about a third of traditional retro-commissioning services.

Small building owners can buy and use the Sensor Suitcase themselves, but it will likely be more practical for them to hire an outside company that provides services based on the technology. Additionally, utilities could lend the technology to commercial building-owning customers or otherwise encourage its use. Though the Sensor Suitcase is intended for small commercial buildings, it could also be used to supplement energy retrofits at large commercial buildings.

Heading to market
GreenPath Energy Solutions of Orlando, FL, a provider of energy-efficient building solutions, will offer both a product and services with the Sensor Suitcase technology. The company helps facility managers and building owners control their operational, energy, and facility costs by providing energy auditing, retro-commissioning, and software solutions. GreenPath plans to market its product and services to federal, state, and local governments through its GSA Schedule contract with the General Services Administration.

Cultural Quotient of Arlington, VA, will also offer a product based on the technology. The company will make and sell its product as a partner with the manufacturing firm Zepher, Inc., of Bingen, WA. CQ Corporation is also partnered with the Chicago-based nonprofit Invent2026 to sell CQ's Sensor Suitcase-based product to local and state government entities in the Midwest, as many small businesses lease or occupy local government-owned buildings.

Both licenses are non-exclusive, meaning the Sensor Suitcase technology is also available for other companies to license. Those interested in learning more about a license can contact Jenn Lee at PNNL (Jennifer.Lee@pnnl.gov).

PNNL and Berkeley Lab jointly developed the Sensor Suitcase concept, with PNNL focusing on the technology's hardware and tablet software and Berkeley Lab focusing on its analytics software. DOE's Oak Ridge National Laboratory helped create the technology's sensors for its second prototype. The technology's development was supported by DOE's Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy.

Source: Pacific Northwest National Laboratory

Published June 2017

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